5GoldGlovesOF,75

Peterson's on pace for a 27-strikeout game. Red Sox now have 1335 Ks, with a month to go. The '07 Sox had 1042 for the season (nine by pitchers).

Now Duran's in a slump. Hits a grounder to short and only gets a single.

Last summer, Paxton was the one commodity that everybody's always looking for at the deadline: a good pitcher. Just lookit what the Jays got last month for Kikuchi, who wasn't even good this season: Bloss, a younger arm who already made the majors after getting drafted just last year, plus two young starting outfielders, Loperfido and Wagner (I saw the latter in WOO and he just rakes).

The problem of not caring about now -- more than then -- is there might not be a then. All we have is now, and the best potential for most prospects is that someday they'll grow old.

It was risky picking up both, in case they were bitter escapees from an old-timer's league. But Brez assessed the situation, and determined that even if they ganged up on him, they were too brittle to do any damage to his longterm health.

Sale has been the poster boy for boys posting the past half decade. But to me, Paxton will always epitomize the ineptitude of the Bloomslow Era. Paxton -- the AL PITCHER OF THE MONTH in June '23 -- was the best trade chip this doofus front office had in the past half decade -- but they just had to keep him until he inevitably broke down. Then the very next year -- to prove their insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results) -- they bring Paxton back, just so they can have him again until he inevitably broke down. Or maybe, they aren't that dumb... but expect fans to continue to be -- sorry, I realize that sounded like politics.

Mets now 1/2 game out of a wild card spot. Their top three starting pitchers are all guys in their 30s - Severino, Manaea, Quintana. All were available in the past two years. They each get paid about $13 million dollars this year -- market value for three legitimate veteran starting pitchers -- or approximately what the Red Sox will pay just Giolito to maybe pitch part of next year. Quantity. Moral of the story: don't waste all your bread on just one basket-case.

If Henry was more obsessed with saving money and trying to cut corners than investing in true talent, what he should do is go rob the Rays' front office of one of their young execs to run his club... someone who's been close to the decisions that make Tampa a contender almost every year, while dumping any player worth paying, and scouring the recycle bins for something cheap worth re-using.

Pro sports as a form of entertainment is kinda unique. If people don't like a movie or play, they might walk out; if they don't like a tv show or song, they just change the station. But most likely they won't pay or buy to watch or listen to the exact same movie, play, show or song -- because re-runs or replays always have the same endings. But sports games always offer alternate endings, so we keep going back, hoping for something different. And in the long season of baseball, most teams are actually battling to extend seasons... that's why it's so important for franchises to invest in rosters that give fans something to look forward to.

I never called myself en-titled -- even before the titles -- but for three decades plus, I was always en-tertained. And yes, I expect a rich club that I help get richer every year to provide me with the entertainment of -- if not making the postseason -- doing everything it can to field a team that has a legitimate chance at making it.

I know "control" is important when we're talking about superstars, because of the big paydays they can demand when they approach/hit free agency. But for average big leaguers, does it really matter that much? Do that many guys even last that long with the same franchise or get paid more than market rate? Nowadays, the smart strategy or goal for clubs that like young star players is to lock them up with extensions, anyway... for even more control. I guess what I'm wondering is if a team fighting for the postseason can upgrade by promoting a good but not necessarily MLB TOP 10 prospect, why not shoot for this year -- when who knows where half your roster will be a half decade from now?

I know CBO is all about improving the entire system, but most fans -- and we're mostly fans of the Major League team -- ultimately judge each season based on the majors. We know we're watching an improved club from 2023, but few fans or team employees will be satisfied if Boston doesn't make the postseason. What player acquisitions did Breslow actually make that significantly made the Red Sox better this year? O'Neill either replaced Duvall or Turner, but didn't upgrade; it moved Yoshida to DH... but T.O. is now only an average outfielder, at best. Romy bumped Pablo as the all-purpose back-up; Reyes hit .287 last year, Gonzo is at .280, but neither was a 1.0 WAR. Speaking of replacement players, Dom Smith was the ultimate in Beantown: 0.0 WAR. Do you like Cooper Criswell? Apparently, the Sox don't enough, even working on a perfect game (amazing the Rays would dump him; they love guys like Coop they can yank early in the World Series). The only real new acquisition that has made a difference is Justin Slaten. When your best addition to a last-place big league roster is a decent bullpen piece, then your grade is barely passing: D. Of course we all think Brez was limited to how much he could spend on upgrading; still, if Henry hired him with that explicit intent to do more with less, then failing to make the playoffs has to be considered a failure.

Henry and the front office are patiently sticking with their longterm plan. They'll wait to promote top positional first-rounders until each of their 27 top pitching prospects hit their "ceiling as back-end starter" ... "You can never have enough dingers," blabbed Sam. "We're confident the core of our batting order will out-homer our 'pitch-to-sweetspot' mound staff. And any Rich Hill training all summer throwing Little League BP will be better than a 50 or 60-year old we can sign from the adult old-timers' leagues."

And single ticket buyers like me... ... but they don't care about procrastinators like me, who are only waiting to pay to watch big leaguers in person when the Red Sox pay for more big leaguers to play for them.

But what will he be looking for through that scope? The postseason? A pennant? A ring? Banners, plural? Yes to any of these questions requires talent on the mound -- whenever that rebuild begins. Don't wait until the position players are all good again before paying for good pitching. Top of the rotation starting pitchers are never wasted -- for so many reasons posted here in the past.

Only the Japanese Hall of Fame

- ago (how do I edit on this new format?)

If only Boston had traded for Crochet a month, he'd be done by now.

Can't believe his very first first-round pick broke his ankle -- before the draft!

WHO exactly are these fans who want their team to improve every summer so they have a chance THAT YEAR to make the playoffs?!?!? The horrors... (don't they all sniff napalm in the morning)

Best chance for the Sox is to have a healthy Devers raking. That's obvious, because... .... what do the three AL Central teams destined to make the playoffs have in common with the Red Sox: all have decent starters, offenses led by a few stars, and a good closer (except for the Royals). The difference is that Cleveland, Minny and KC all get to play the White Sox more than Boston does -- so the Red Sox need to be better than their nearest comp to make the postseason. Problem is, they're not right now... ... but can they be in September? Is there anyone they can call up who could make an impact that might mean three or four more wins???

When Story was lost for another season, he was no longer a future core player, but the regular version of Sale (in Boston). Mayer would take over at short in 2025 and the sustained contending would commence... except now, MM looks just as injury-prone. Story stays, and plays -- and as a good guy and respected vet -- helps middle infield prospects like Mayer and Campbell transition into mainstays. Breslow and Cora might value his leadership enough to keep him around for those overall contributions (notice how Trevor sits right next to Alex in the dugout at all the games).

I get your point, too. I've just always preferred star power on the pro sports teams I root for -- and everyone can pile on about how the Red Sox teams in the 70s and 80s and 90s always fell short, but probably around 75% of those clubs had a shot, while fans lived and died with their heroes, who were mostly around the next year to give it another go. Winning it all is great, but probably not as much if its just cheering for jerseys with different faces poking out on teams that tear down and build back up a lot. Club owners should never take for granted how a fanbase identifies with favorite players -- or underestimate the impact of that factor.

I'm rational enough to know that every year only one team wins the last game of the season. And I'm ok if the Red Sox contend like they did for most of my life -- and not pretend, like they have the past half decade. I'm not some arrogant old Yankee fan who says the season is a total failure if they don't win it all. Kids born in the past 15 years don't even know what that means.

I don't think I'm even there, any more. Here are two things that can no longer be included in the same sentence. Pitchers. Long-term health and production. If Gammons came back from the future 2035 to tell me Anthony will win 10 Silver Sluggers, and Crochet and Skubal will each win a Cy Young AND a World Series, but only pitch for five years... I'm taking the position player.